Apparatus for softening parts of assembled unlasted shoe-uppers.



rams

ALMDEB ANDERSON, 0F GHICAG-O, ILLINOIS, ASSGNOR T0 HARRY H.y

OF BOSTN, MASSACHUSETTS.

snowman,

' arrane'rns non sorrentina Pears on assEMBIlr-:n UnLAsTnnsHon-nnrnns,

meente..

Specification 0E Letters Eatent. Patented M2M", 23, gi.

' Application nea April 1e, 1914. seralno. 532,763.

T0 all @from it may) concern:

soN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city ofChicago, in the county of Cook-and State of Illinois, have inventedcerta-in new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for -Softening Partsof Assembled Unlasted Shoe-Uppers, of which the following is aspecification.

In the manufacture of shoes having stifiiened toe portions, it is nowcustomary-to assemble the parts of the upper and temporarily engage themby means of a tack with the heel end of a last, said parts in-V cludingthe usual vamp, the quarters, the lining, the toe cap7 and a flat boxtoe blank secured to the forward end of the vamp and. interposed betweenthe lining and the toe cap. The box toe blank is Ju'sually made of felt,treated with a composition which is adapted to be quickly softened byheat to render the blank limp and pliable, and to harden by cooling tomake permanent the form imparted to the blank by the toe portion of thelast during the lasting operation. I

My invention is embodied in an apparatus, comprising a receptacle havingan opening for the reception of a Hat box toe blank provided with astiitening composition and means for supplying hot Vapor Within thereceptacle to soften the blank preparatory to lasting, an open recessbeing provided adjacent said opening for the reception of the toeportion of 'a last engaged with the assembled and unlasted parts ot'a'shoe upperwhich includes said blank, the said apparatus being adaptedto soften the blank While the upper,'of Which it forms a part, isengaged With the. heel end of the last so that the softened blank andthe portions of the upper betiveen which it is interposed may beimmediately conformed to the toe portion of the last Without disengagingthe upper from the last.

The invention also includes means for supporting the nnlasted toe capout of contact with the box toe blank during the sottening opera-tien.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a perspective View of an apparatus emengaged withthe heel end thereof, saidlast and upper being presented to theapparatus 'I with the blank insertedfin said'receptacle, the toe portionof' thela'st and the correspending portion of the liningy 'being insertedlin'the recess at'one side of the receptacle and the toe cap beingheld out of conu tact with the blank.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts inallof the views.

In the drawings, 12 represents a last, to the heel end of which istemporarily secured'y by a tack 13 a heel portion of an unlasted upper,-said upper includinglthe usual vamp 14, lining 15,-toe cap 16, and boxtoe blank 17. The blank 17 4is or` may be a. flat piece of telt treatedwith a composition? adapted to be softened by heat and rendered hard bycooling, one edge of the blank being preferably attached as usual to theforward' edge of the vamp 14.

The apparatus of my invention is an elongated structure, preferably' ofsheet metal,A having end Walls 19, a back Wall320, a top Wall 21, afront Wall 22 and a bottom Wall 23. A recess 24 is provided below thebottonfwall 23 tor the reception of the toe por, I

tion of the lastand the corresponding portion of the lining 15, saidrecess beingpreferably formed by extensions of theend Walls 19, adownwardly projecting extension of 'the bottom Wall 23, and `a shelf 25attached to the end Wall and bottoniI Wall extensions. The continuity ofthe front Wall 22 is interrupted to form an opening 26 closely adjacentto the recess 24:, said opening being adapted to receive the boXtoeblank y17. Y,

Means are `provided for supplying a heating` agent within thereceptacle, said 'agent being preferably low-pressure steam ,or vaporintroduced through a supply pipe and a branch pipe 28 communicatingthere-- with and ktending lengthwise ofthe receptacle, said pipe havingperforations 29 ,of suitable size and suitably spaced apart `todistribute steam or vapor through the interior of the receptacle.

icol

The portion of the front .Wa-1122 adjacent 'I .i

to the opening 26 constitutes a meansy 'for supporting the toe cap 16out of contact with the blank 17, as indicated Lby F1g; 2, so that theblank is exposed to the heating; agent circulating Within thereceptacle. 'A lange 30-is extended inwardly from the front Wall 22.over the recess r26, said ange constituting a baile which prevents theheating agent circulating in the upper forward portion of the receptaclefrom passing directlv outward through the opening Q6.

rlhe bottom Wall 23 is preferably inclined downwardly from its foi-Wardor outer edge, as shown by Fig. 2, so that water of condensationaccumulating thereon is conducted rearwardly to the back part of thereceptacle from which it' may escape through an outlet pipe 3l.

The above described structure may be attached to a bench 32 or othersuitable support.

lt will nou' be seen that a last, to the heel portion of which theassembled parts of an unlasted upper is temporarily attached, may be.presented to the apparatus in the manner indicated by Fig. 2, the boXtoe blank being allowed to remain in the opening Q6 until it has becomesuitably softened. rl`he last and the upper thereon is then removed fromthe apparatus and the )upper is lasted While the box toe blank is sott,the subsequent stiiiening of the' composition with which the blank Wastreated making the form of the lasted toe portion of the upperpermanent. rlhe apparatus is prefererably elongated so thatV severallasts and the uppers engaged therewith may be presented to the apparatussimultaneously.

claim:

l. All apparatus of the character described comprising a receptaclehaving an opening for the reception of a flat box toe blank, and meansfor supplying a heating agent within the receptacle to act on saidblank, the apparatus being provided With an openreccss adjacent to saidopening for the reception of the toc portion of a last en gagcd With theassembled and unlasted parts o a shoe upper which includes said blank.

i?. Jin apparatus of the character described comprising a receptaclehaving an opening for the reception of' a flat box toe blank, meansbeing provided for supporty ing an unlasted toe cap out of contact withsaid blank, and means for supplying a heating agent Within thereceptacle to act on said blank, the apparatus being further providedwith an open recess adjacent to said opening for the reception of thetoe portion of a last engaged with the assembled and unlasted parts of ashoe upper which in cludes said blank and toe cap.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a receptaclehaving an opening for the reception of a fiat box toe blank, supportingmeans forming With a messes one edge of said opening for the receptionof the toe portion of a last supporting the assembled and unlasted partsot va shoe up per v-which includes said blank, and vmeans lasted partsof a shoe upper Which includes said blank, and means for supplying aheating agent Within the receptacle to act on said blank, the Wall otthe receptacle at the opposite edge of said opening being arranged tosupport the unlasted toe cap, forming a part of said upper, out ofcontact with said blank.

5. An apparatus of the character described comprising a receptaclehaving an opening for the reception of a fiat box toe blank, means for'supplying a heating agent within the receptacle to act on said blank,the bottom of the receptacle being inclined to conduct Water ofcondensation rearwardly from saidopening, and supporting means holdingsaid bottom in a raised position to form a recess for the reception ofthe toe portion of a labt supporting the assembled and unlasted parts ofa shoe upper.

6. An apparatus ofthe character described comprising a receptacle havingan opening for the reception of a iiat box toe blank, means forsupplying a heating agent .vithin the receptacle to act on said blank,supporting means holding said bottom in a raised position to form arecess for the reception of the toe portion of a last supporting theassembled and unlasted parts of a shoe upper, and a last-supportingshelf below said recess.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a receptaclehaving an `opening for the reception of a flat box toe bla-nk, means forsupplying a heating agent Within the receptacle, the apparatus being'provided With a recess at one side of said opening for the reception ofthe toe portion of a last, and a baiile at the opposite side of saidopening.

ln testimony whereof l have affixed my signature, in presence of tWoWitnesses.

ALEXANDER ANDERSON.

Witnesses l, B. SrLrrnoFr,

FRANK ADELMEIER.

